On Tuesday, 195,328 people – about 27% of the Alaskan population – received at least their first vaccine, according to the state’s vaccine monitoring panel. This is above the national average of 21% of the population. At least 135,482 people – about 19% of the state’s population – were considered fully vaccinated.
Although the case count and hospitalizations in Alaska remain well below what they were during the peak in November and December, the overall case decline has slowed in recent weeks, and many regions of the state are still in the highest alert category based on their current rate of infection rate per capita.
Public health officials continue to encourage Alaskans to monitor personal virus mitigation efforts, such as washing their hands, wearing masks, socializing and testing if they are symptomatic or exposed to someone with COVID-19.
As of Tuesday, there were 33 people with COVID-19 in hospitals across the state, well below a peak in late 2020. Another six patients had pending test results.
Of the 102 cases identified among Alaskan residents on Tuesday, there were 27 in Anchorage, four more in Chugiak and two in Eagle River; three in Valdez; four in Soldotna; five in Fairbanks; three at the North Pole; two at Delta Junction; nine in Palmer; 26 in Wasilla; one in Utqiagvik; one in Juneau; and one in Unalaska.
Among the smaller communities not named to protect individuals’ privacy, there was one in the Copper River Census Area; three at Fairbanks North Star Borough; and 10 in the Bethel Census Area.
Three new cases of non-residents were also identified: two in Anchorage and one in Unalaska.
Although people can be tested more than once, each case reported by the state health department represents only one person.
State data does not specify whether people who test positive for COVID-19 have symptoms. More than half of the country’s infections are transmitted by asymptomatic people, according to CDC estimates.